Follow-through is a key issue, whether it relates to dealing with your taxes, following up on a job lead or dealing with a career change.

So what is follow-through? I like how Gene describes it when he say it is, “making a deal with yourself to pursue your goal. The iron-clad promise to yourself is stronger than any obstacle.”

We generally don’t lack the knowledge of what to do, but we do have a number of thoughts that come into our heads once we decide to pursue a goal. Gene calls these the “‘Yes but’ obstacle course…”

• Yes, but I don’t believe in myself.
• Yes, but I don’t know if my project is right for me.
• Yes, but I have five ideas and all of them are great.
• Yes, but I’m not sure this is my passion.
• Yes, but I don’t have a clue how to proceed.
• Yes, but I’m afraid.
• Yes, but I don’t have the time, energy or money.
• Yes, but I can’t find a mentor.
• Yes, but what if I fail?

The top 3 reasons why people drop their ideas, according to Gene, are:

1. Not enough passion
2. Not enough money
3. Not enough time

At some point, we all lack desire, money, and time for the things that excite us. Are those challenges just excuses? Or, do we just lack a creative way to resolve those issues?

Gene suggests two key questions to help you to follow-through despite anything:

1. What is the story you want to tell to yourself and to others? For example, you follow up with a hiring manager and they decide to interview you. How could that story end?

2. Ask yourself what resonates with you about that potential outcome. This question is really about the “why.” Why do you really want to follow up?

Long story short, my client didn’t take action on this idea, but somebody else did. If you walk into any store you will see many choices of vitamin water – it ended up being another person’s billion dollar idea.

Gene states, “Following-through is the only thing that separates dreamers from people who accomplish great things and it makes life a lot more interesting.”

The world is full of great ideas – what’s yours? More importantly, what are you doing with it?

P.P.S. Taking advantage of CareerJoy’s Government Career Management Programs for your Personal Learning Plan. Register for our upcoming free lunch and information session for public servants on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm EST at 251 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 900 and learn about how you can achieve greater advancement and success in your career in the public service.